Rona Arato,
Mrs. Kaputnik’s Pool Hall and Matzo Ball Emporium
Tundra Books, 2010

Rating: G*

Rona Arato’s story of the Kaputnik’s and their journey by sea to New York from Vrod, Russia is a culturally diverse story of hardships, anguish, success and happiness. With the desire to leave Vrod for the promise of New York and the reuniting of her family with her husband, Mrs. Kaputnik takes her children across the ocean for hope of a better life. Upon leaving the children try to conceal their dragon pet from their mother, as many say it will bring them bad luck and harm, when in actuality, it is this pet dragon, Snigger, who saves Moshe and Shoshi on more than one occasion. Dealing with life as immigrants on the lower east side of New York, the Kaputnik’s struggle for survival ends in happiness when they are reunited with their father and are no longer harassed by Nick the Stick.

Readers in the upper grades, who may have more knowledge about immigration and world views, will be able to see the underlying themes of immigration and survival in Mrs. Kaputnik’s Pool Hall and Matzo Ball Emporium. Most readers, will, however, be enchanted by the mysterious dragon Snigger, the story of two young children and their hopes of learning and settling into their new home and environment in New York city.

Appropriately written for children in upper elementary grades, the story of Mrs. Kaputnik and her children will captivate the reader while providing suspense through story development.

Thematic Links: Neighbourhoods: Culture; Immigration

Adriane Pettit
Vol. 15, number 3
February 2010

*Rating System:
E - Excellent, enduring, everyone should see it!
G - Good, even great at times, generally useful!
A - Average, all right, has its applications.
P - Problematic, puzzling, poorly presented.